What We’re Listening To This Week: June 21-27

The Wailers are often an afterthought to frontman Bob Marley, but they have made music just as special that frequently goes unnoticed. While growing up in Trenchtown, a rough area of Kingston, Jamaica, Peter Tosh helped to form The Wailers along with Bob Marley and Bunny Wailer. The group became popular but in 1973 a tragic car accident killed Tosh’s girlfriend and fractured his skull. A year later he decided to leave the band. Tosh is credited with writing many of The Wailers hits including Get Up Stand Up and it is even rumored that it is he who taught Marley to play the guitar. After releasing two solo albums, Tosh was signed by The Rolling Stones. His 1978 album Bush Doctor features Don’t Look Back, a duet with Mick Jagger, which helped him reach mainstream success and become one of the most well known reggae artists alive. A lifelong activist, Tosh’s career was filled with controversy. He was a strong advocate for marijuana legalization, an anti-apartheid protester, and was even severely beaten while in police custody. Some even refer to him as “the Malcolm X to Marley’s Dr. King.” Sadly in 1987 Tosh returned to his home in Jamaica and his house was robbed. He was tortured for his money before being shot and killed. He is remembered today as one of the greatest reggae artists of all time.

Jump Off The Roof- Vince Staples Ft Snoh Aalegra

With his debut album Summertime 06 releasing a week early, Long Beach, CA rapper Vince Staples is on the verge of blowing up. The eighth song on the album, Jump Off The Roof features Swedish singer Snoh Aalegra, another young artist beginning to get recognition. One of many good songs on the album, it has a gloomy beat from producer No I.D. and Staples’ signature dark lyrics. The chorus finds him in a depressed place:

“I pray to God cause I need him

Cocaine withdrawals and I’m fiendin

Life way to hard, am I dreamin?

Highway to hell and I’m speedin, one way to tell if I’m breathin

On three let’s jump off the roof”

His ability to make the listener feel his pain is what has made Staples successful. Be sure to check out Summertime 06. Album review coming later this week.